Compare 5 Day Adventure Summer Package by Arctic Adventures vs Iceland: See & Experience it ALL in 9 Days, 1st Class Custom Tours by Charlie The Traveler

Day 1: Golden Circle and Rafting

Pick up at 8:00 from your accommodation or a nearby location in Reykjavík. Please note: the pick up process can take up to 30 minutes but you do need to be ready and waiting at 08:00.

The Reykjavík adventure package begins with the amazing Golden Circle wonders, your first day is then crowned with a really exciting river rafting trip.

Your travel through the farmlands of South Iceland to see magnificent Gullfoss (the Golden Waterfall), on the Hvítá (the White River) which flows all the way from Langjökull glacier. Witness the extraordinary power as the water is forced through the canyon, dropping 32 m in two stages, pivoting dramatically as it does so. You will be rafting on Hvítá later on! At Geysir, you will see Strokkur, the most active geyser nowadays, erupting huge volumes of superheated water every 8 to 10 minutes. Next is Þingvellir National Park, the amazing site of Iceland´s first parliament, Alþingi, which was founded in 930 AD. This amazing UNESCO World Heritage Site is not only the place where the Alþingi was founded, it is one of the greatest geological wonders in the world. You will see how the tectonic plates have moved apart creating this rugged rift valley.

Your tour will then take you to Drumboddstaðir, our comfortable river rafting base a little higher up the Hvítá river from Gullfoss. The river offers exhilarating adrenaline raising white water rapids and quieter more serene areas with outstanding scenery. At Brúarhlöð, a magnificent rugged canyon where the river flows more peacefully, you will have the opportunity to leap from the cliff into the river. We provide everything you need for your kayaking trip including a wetsuit, helmet, life vest and a paddle. Our safety kayakers accompany the rafts at all times. Refreshments may be purchased from the Drumbó restaurant and bar. You are welcome to relax in the sauna and/or to take a shower after your rafting trip (included).

This day tour has it all: exciting rafting, amazing Viking history, unique geological wonders and sensational scenery.

Remember to bring: Warm undergarments (fleece/wool sweater and pants), warm socks, a change of clothing. Bathing suit and a towel for river rafting. Warm layers, weatherproof top layer, gloves, headwear and hiking shoes for the Golden Circle.

Day Highlights:

• Gullfoss Waterfall
• Geysir Geothermal Area
• Thingvellir National Park
• Hvítá (Hvita River)
• River Rafting

Included:

• Pick up from Reykjavik
• Minibus guided tour
• Golden Circle highlights
• Drumbó Base Camp facilities
• River rafting equipment
• Certificated rafting guides & safety kayakers

Day 2: Glacier hike and Ice Climbing

Pick up at 8:00 from your accommodation or a nearby location in Reykjavík. Please note: the pick up process can take up to 30 minutes but you do need to be ready and waiting at 08:30.

Here is your chance to hike and climb on an immeasurably majestic Glacier! This tour will take you onto the amazing frozen world of Sólheimajökull glacier, a rugged, raw and constantly changing glacier tongue of Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe. With a professional glacier guide, who will provide you with all of the necessary glacier equipment, you will explore Sólheimajökull. Your guide will explain the extraordinary ice formations of this crevasse riddled outlet glacier, you will see sink holes and jagged toothed ice ridges. Those who want to can then test our ice climbing skills on the glacier using ice axes, crampons and safety lines. This glacier experience of a lifetime will leave you with unforgettable memories.

On the way back to Reykjavík we even stop at Skógafoss, a beautiful waterfall!

Remember to bring: Warm layers (not cotton), headwear, scarf, gloves, waterproof jacket and pants, hiking boots are essential, it is not possible to fit ice crampons onto any other footwear.

Day Highlights:

• Solheimajokull Glacier
• Glacier Hike
• Optional Ice Climbing
• Skógafoss Waterfall

Included:

• Pick up from Reykjavík
• Guided Glacier Hike
• Opportunity to try ice climbing
• Certified Glacier Guide
• Glacier and ice climbing equipment

Day 3: Snorkeling and Caving

Pick up at 9:00 from your accommodation or a nearby location in Reykjavík. Please note: the pick up process can take up to 30 minutes but you do need to be ready and waiting at 09:00. This caving and snorkeling tour will give you some fabulous new angles on Iceland!

We head out to a lava tube cave not far from Reykjavík. We go either to Leiðarendi Cave or Gjábakkahellir, both caves are typical lava tubes, formed when streams of hot lava flowed beneath lava which was already cooling. Accompanied by a qualified and experienced caving guide, who will kit you out with a helmet and headlamp, you will learn how some incredible lava formations were created in this stunning and surprisingly colorful underground world. Sometimes the cave is amazingly spacious and high, other times you need to travel on all fours. After we surface there is time for a quick lunch before you dive into Silfra.

Your certified snorkeling guide will equip you with everything you need and you are ready to go. You will be stunned by supernaturally brilliant shades of blue, as the exceptional visibility reveals incredible rock formations within this amazing sub-aquatic chasm. Silfra offers up to 100 meters of underwater visibility, which is simply unrivaled. Comfortably warm in an insulated drysuit you will be free to enjoy feelings of weightlessness and supreme serenity as you drift along with the lazy current, simply awe-stricken at the spectacular sights in the depths beneath you! There are four sections, each with a different character: the deep Silfra Crack, the majestic Silfra Hall, the expansive and rich blue world of Silfra Cathedral and Silfra Lagoon which has the most incredible visibility. Silfra has frequently been rated as one of the world’s top ten dives. There is nowhere else in the world where you can dive in a fissure between two tectonic plates! Are you up for a really special and totally unique experience?

Please note: You will not be able to wear glasses whilst snorkeling, so unless you bring prescription goggles you will need to wear contact lenses. It is also important that you are able to clearly understand instructions given in English. There are some health and fitness requirements for snorkeling, together with size restrictions (drysuit sizes available), please ask about these when you book your tour.

Remember to bring: Warm long underwear, preferably fleece/wool (no cotton!), warm wool socks and a change of clothes (just in case) for snorkeling. Warm layers, waterproof jacket and pants, gloves, headwear, scarf and good hiking shoes for caving.

Day Highlights:

• Lava Field
• Lava Tube Caving
• Þingvellir National Park (Thingvellir)
• Snorkeling in Silfra Fissure

Included:

• Pick up from Reykjavik
• Guided Caving tour
• Certified and experienced caving guide
• All caving equipment
• Snorkeling tour with certified guide
• All snorkeling equipment

Day 4: Hot springs and Horses

Pick up at 8:00 from your accommodation or a nearby location in Reykjavík. Please note: the pick up process can take up to 30 minutes but you do need to be ready and waiting at 08:00.

This classic hike starts from the outskirts of Hveragerði, the town of hot springs and flowers. With a professional hiking guide you will explore the magnificent hot spring valley of Reykjadalur, following a trail through magical mountain scenery. You are heading for the hot spring river, often called ‘Steam Valley’, hot water flows down and blends with a cool water source in the river, giving a perfect temperature for bathing. As you hike through the valley you will see every kind of hot spring which can be discovered in Iceland, your guide will share some fascinating hot spring and local information with you. A 7 km hike and hot spring bathing! Do remember to bring your bathing suit and towel. You get the chance to grab a quick lunch before you mount an Icelandic horse!

Your horse riding guide will equip you with everything you need and provide some horse riding instructions. Try out the unique fifth gait of the Icelandic horse, tölt, as you ride through stunning scenery. You will see some farms and get an idea of how farming and horse breeding have developed over the last few decades. After your horse riding adventure you are invited into the farmhouse for coffee and some authentic Icelandic home baked goods!

Remember to bring: Good hiking shoes, warm layers, headwear, gloves, scarves, waterproof jacket and pants.

Day Highlights:

• Reykjadalur Valley
• Hiking
• Hot spring river bathing
• Icelandic horse riding

Included:

• Pick up in Reykjavik
• Guided hike to the hot spring river
• Guided horseback riding tour
• Horse riding equipment

Day 5: ATV and Blue Lagoon

On your last day you actually get to do two tours, an adrenaline raising ATV tour and a relaxing and serene trip to the Blue Lagoon! There is some flexibility with the timings so pick up and return times will be confirmed when you book your tours.

You are picked up in Reykjavík for your ATV Quad Bike tour. ATV driving will be sure to to get your adrenaline really flowing as you roar off to the top of Mount Hafrafell! On a clear day, the views are mind-blowing, Mount Úlfarsfell, Hafravatn, a picturesque lake in the valley behind Mosfellsbær, Mount Esja, the whole of Reykjavík and the Reykjanes peninsula will stretch out before you. This really is the most exciting and speediest way to explore the wondrous landscapes ‘hiding’ behind the mountains!

After that adrenaline rush you will be ready for some relaxation! Your final tour will take you to the perfect location to capture some chilled Icelandic bliss. We pick you up from Reykjavík and drive you across Reykjanes to the Blue Lagoon,  a world famous spa. Make the most of the opportunity to bathe in the milky, silky smooth and skin soothing waters and to totally relax in the lunar landscape. Facilities include a shop, cafeteria, the Lava Restaurant and a bar offering an impressive cocktail menu.

Remember to bring: Bathing suit and towel (these may be hired from the Blue Lagoon).

Day Highlights

• ATV ride
• Mount Úlfarsfell
• Blue Lagoon

Included

• Pick up in Reykjavík (both tours)
• Guided ATV tour with experienced guide
• All ATV equipment
• Entrance to Blue Lagoon

Day 1: Whale Watching & Colorful Skies

From mid-May to mid-October, our tour starts in Iceland's second most visited city, Akureyri. Get ready to go on a whale watching tour. From late October to early May, whale watching is done instead in the capital that is Reykjavík. From September to early March, also included is a night tour to an area where we see the northern lights.

Day 2: A Lake Created by Lava & Geothermal Eruptions

As a land daytrip from Akureyri (mid-May to mid-October) or a flight daytrip from Reykjavík (late October to early May), we are taken on a tour to Goðafoss Waterfall, Lake Mývatn, a geothermal area called Hverir and Dettifoss Waterfall. Goðafoss waterfall has a height of 12 meters over a width of 30 meters. Lake Mývatn was created by a large basaltic lava which erupted 2,300 years ago. The surrounding landscape is dominated by volcanic landforms, including lava pillars. Dettifoss is reputed to be the second most powerful waterfall in Europe.

Day 3: Approaching a Caldera & Bathing in a Crater or Iceland’s Best Bar Lagoon Accompanied with a City Tour

Today’s destinations and activities depend on the season. From mid-May to mid-October, as a daytrip from Akureyri, we first hike Askja Caldera and then visit a crater called Viti, the latter of which offers a pond where we go bathing. From late October to early May, we go bathing at a ‘fashionable’ geothermal spa called Sky Lagoon, located near to the capital. We are also provided with a tour of the capital.

Day 4: Why They Call This Area the ‘Golden Circle’

From mid-May to mid-October, we relocate from Akureyri to Reykjavík. From late October to early May, we are not based in Akureyri. Instead, we are still based in Reykjavík. Either way, today we are doing the so-called ‘Golden Circle’ as a daytrip from Reykjavík. Destinations include Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir/Strokkur geyser and Þingvellir National Park (a.k.a. Thingvellir National Park). Gullfoss is 32 meters tall and features not 1 but 2 drops. Geysir’s eruptions can hurl boiling water up to 70 meters in the air. Þingvellir is notable for its unusual tectonic and volcanic environment in a rift valley.

Day 5: One of the Ten Most Beautiful Beaches on Earth & Thundering Waterfalls

We leave Reykjavík and start the journey along the southeast coast. Highlights for today include Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Skógafoss Waterfall and the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. We end up lodging in the Skaftafell area. The Seljalandsfoss Waterfall drops 60 meters. Visitors can walk behind the falls into a fascinating cave. Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in the country, with a width of 25 meters and a drop of 60 meters. Reynisfjara was ranked by National Geographic as one of the ten most beautiful non-tropical beaches on Earth.

Day 6: Huge Icebergs, Exploring an Ice Cave & a Surreal Shoreline

Although today we head to Thorsmork Valley, many destinations are visited en route. They include Skaftafell Nature Reserve, Jökulsárlón Glacial Lake, the natural ice cave at Vatnajökull National Park and Diamond Beach. Skaftafell’s landscape is similar to some of the Alps. The difference is Skaftafell has been formed over thousands of years by different influences of fire and water. Jökulsárlón Lake provides outstanding views of icebergs which rise to a height of 910 meters. Jökulsárlón has been a setting for four Hollywood movies: (1) A View to a Kill, (2) Die Another Day, (3) Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and (4) Batman Begins. Vatnajökull’s ice cave contains canals for water which run through or at the bottom of the glacier. Diamond Beach features icebergs which float onto the shore from Jökulsárlón.

*Note that the surreal looking Svartifoss Waterfall is sometimes-but not always-included on today’s tour. It depends on many factors, including the weather. Also, note that the ice cave is not open June through September. It is open only during the winter season.

Day 7: A Hiker's Paradise

Before returning to Reykjavík, we hike around Thorsmork Valley. The highlights are Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Stakkholtsgjá Canyon, Nauthúsagil Canyon and Gígjökull Glacier. This is arguably the best area in the country from where to go hiking.

Day 8: Mud Pools, Hot Springs & Blue Waters

From Reykjavík, we make a daytrip to the Reykjanes Peninsula: Lake Kleifarvatn, a geothermal area called Krýsuvík, Gunnuhver’s mud pools and hot springs and the Blue Lagoon. Krýsuvík consists of several geothermal fields. Here solfataras, fumaroles, mud pots and hot springs have formed. The soil is colored bright yellow, red and green. Nearby are several craters which were created by the explosions of overheated groundwater. The Blue Lagoon, one of the most visited attractions in Iceland, is a geothermal spa. There we enjoy bathing inside the warm water.

Day 9: Our Tour Ends Today

Transportation will be arranged for you to reach the airport in Reykjavík.